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Landon gave me a look of pity. “You know I would get you out of here if I could. But there’s nothing I can do.”
“I know, Landon. I would never ask you to rescue me. Now that I’m under his thumb, there’s nothing anyone can do for me. The only person who can get me out of here is Cato himself, but he won’t.”
His eyes fell in sadness. “Does he treat you well?”
With the exception of a few setbacks, my life had been comfortable. “He’s very good to me. There are a couple things I dislike about him, but other than that, I really like Cato. He’s gentle, kind, and affectionate. When I’m with him, it’s easy to forget he’s a crime lord. He seems like a man…like a normal person.”
Landon’s elbows rested on the armrests, and his hands came together. My brother watched me with sympathetic eyes, like he really wished my situation were different. Landon wasn’t affectionate, just the way my father was. He failed to express his emotions even at the most critical moments. He was withdrawn and cold, unable to speak his mind. So he turned quiet now, unsure what to say in response.
“But the more I think about it, the more I think I can’t stay here. If he is going to kill me, then I may as well run for it. At least right now, he can’t hurt me, not while I’m pregnant. And the longer I wait, the harder it’ll be for me to get around.”
Landon shook his head slightly. “If the Siberians couldn’t take down Cato, you think you’re going to outsmart him by yourself?”
I shrugged. “I have to try.”
“You wouldn’t make it very far.”
“Not unless he doesn’t know I’m missing for a few hours. That would give me the head start I need. Even if he doesn’t kill me, I don’t want my child to grow up like this. I don’t want my child to look out the window and watch his father execute people. My child will be the number one target of Cato’s enemies, and I don’t want that either.”
“And you think you can not only get away, but manage to live the rest of your life without him finding you?” he asked incredulously. “This isn’t some abusive boyfriend you can run away from. This guy has every resource in the world to hunt you down.”
“If I change my name and live off cash, how will he find me?”
My brother shrugged. “There are ways.”
“I’ll go somewhere really remote, somewhere he won’t think of.”
“Like?”
“Iceland or something.”
“That is pretty remote,” he said in agreement. “But even if he doesn’t find you right away, he will find you. That’s a given.”
“I have to try, Landon. I owe it to myself and my baby. You know me. When do I ever give up?”
He gave a slight nod. “You don’t.”
“And that’s not going to change now.”
He sat forward and rested his arms on the table, his hands coming together. He looked across the terrace and to the perfectly manicured gardens as he spoke. “This guy fetched Father and buried him for us. He takes cares of you. Cato Marino isn’t the kind of guy to go soft like that…not for anyone. I think you’re better off staying here and hoping he changes his mind.”
“Every time I ask him, he says he’s going to do it. That he has to do it.”
“But if you run and he catches you…then he’ll definitely do it.”
Now that I was pregnant, my priorities had changed. I wanted the best for my child, and the best was not staying here. If Cato really did kill me, that would be an even greater disadvantage to my baby. The only parent they would know was a cruel and terrifying man. They needed a mother to balance it out. “Cato makes me feel safe…but he also terrifies me. He’s capable of anything. I’ve made up my mind, Landon. I’m leaving.”
He turned his gaze back to mine, a hint of disappointment in his eyes. “Then I’ll help you.”
“I’m not asking for your help.”
“You can’t do this alone.”
“And if I get caught, he’ll kill you.”
He shrugged. “I would rather die trying to protect my sister and my niece or nephew than do nothing. The world is a scary place, and I know you’re strong, but you shouldn’t do this on your own. I can protect you from the evil things that will cross your path. I may not be able to protect you from Cato…but I can handle anything else.”
“Landon…” I knew my brother loved me, but I didn’t expect such a selfless gesture. “Are you sure?”
He held my gaze. “Absolutely. We’ll just have to think of a good plan. Cato will need to be at work for most of the day to make it work. You’ll need to get off the property somehow, but there’s no coming or going without security checks. There’s no way you could just walk out of here and jump the wall.”
